Effect of acute hyperglycemia on jejunal compliance and peristaltic reflex in healthy humans.

Acute hyperglycemia has been shown to affect gastric motor function and colonic peristaltic reflex, but little is known about its effects on the small bowel. Our aim was to determine the effect of experimentally induced acute hyperglycemia on small bowel compliance and peristaltic reflex. Ten healthy subjects were studied during euglycemia and induced hyperglycemia. Sequential balloon inflation in the jejunum was used to determine pressure-volume relationships. The frequency of jejunal contractions and motility index proximal and distal to a distending balloon were measured for assessment of the peristaltic reflex. The intestinal pressure-volume relationship was not affected by hyperglycemia (In pressure/volume 0.084+/-0.006 vs 0.096+/-0.006, P = 0.19). During hyperglycemia, there was significantly more distal inhibition of frequency of contractions (51.0+/-26.6% vs 26.7+/-22.3%, P < 0.05) and of motility index (18.8+/-10.8% and 10+/-6.4, P < 0.05) in response to balloon inflation. We conclude that in the small bowel of healthy subjects, experimentally induced acute hyperglycemia has no effect on compliance and little effect on enteric nerve function.